Discharge conduit control device



Mamh 22, 1932, Q. HARRHS DISCHARGE CONDUIT CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 27,1950 INVENTOR Wx M( ATTORN EY l?atentecl Mar. 22, 1932 iJNiTED STATESPATENT OFFICE CLEO HARRIS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THECINCINNATI BALL CRANK COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO DISCHARGE CONDUIT CONTROL DEVICE Application filed May 27, 1930.Serial No. 456,214.

This invention relates to control devices for discharge conduits and isparticularly directed to a device of this nature :tor coincidentallyoperating a switch and valve disposed toward the discharge end of theconduit for simultaneously opening the valve and starting a pumpingmotor, which motor forces grease or oil through the line, or for closingthe valve and stopping the motor.

fin object of this invention is to provide a manually operated controldevice at the discharge end of the conduit wherein a single leveroperates a valve in the line and a switch for a pumping motor. It isprovided by means of this single lever control that no discharge oflubricant occurs after the motor switch has been operated to break thecircuit to the motor since the movement necessary to release the motorcontrol switch closes the line and prevents the over-run of the motorfrom discharging excess grease.

It is another object of this invention to provide a convenientlyarranged device of the above nature interposed in the conduit includinga handle surrounding the conduit, and a lever fitting close along thehandlewhereby the control device may be gripped in one hand andconveniently operated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control lever foroperating an associated switch and valve wherein the movement impartedto the valve is relatively slight, and whereby a long leverage isprovided for exerting considerable torce on the valve for the purposeor' opening the same, and to further provide that the lever is quicklyand automatically returned upon a release by the operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve operating meanswhich includes an improved arrangement of the lever relative to thevalve plunger wherein the action of the lever on the plunger createssubstantially no side thrust and is extremely efective for imparting agreat pressure to the plunger through a cam action imparted by the leveragainst the plunger.

Einother object of this invention is to provide a motor control switchmounting or enclosure associated with a lubricant discharge conduitwherein the switch is effectively sealed so as to prevent the entranceof moisture to the switch parts.

Other objects and certain advantages will be more fully apparent from adescription ots the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view orn the coincidentallyoperated valve and switch.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure l.

Generally described, the control device in u cludes a valve 5 insertedin a discharge line or conduit 6 and a handle 7 attached to the valve.rlhe handle includes an encased switch 8 at its outer end, a lever 9being mounted between the switch and valve for the purpose ofsimultaneously opening the line 'and starting a pump motor (not shown)or vice versa. ilhe conduit may be provided for the discharge oflubricant, either oil or grease, and the switch may control any electricpower source for torcing lubricant through the discharge tube.

Referring specilically to the drawings, the respective sections of theconduit, between which the valve is inserted, have metal couplingelements 11-11 axed to their ends adjoining the valve, these couplingelements being internally threaded and screwed onto nipples 12-12extending from each side of the valve casing. The grease passageway 13through the valve is intersected by a transversely extending bore 14.This bore 14 contains the valve element for controlling the passageway.The lower end of the bore is closed by means of a plug 15, this plugcompressing a coil spring 16 disposed within the bore against a ballvalve 1'? for seating the ball on a valve seat 18 formed by an internalshoulder in the bore.

Above the internal shoulder a plunger 19 is slidably mounted in the boreand carries a stud 20. lThe stud 2O is screwed into the lower end of theplunger concentrically therewith. An intermediate shoulder 21 of thestud engages upon a packing ring 22 disposed against the underside ofthe plunger, which ring has a downwardly disposed sealing flange adaptedto be spread against the wall of the bore by the grease under pres sure.The tip of the stud 20, normally, is very slightly spaced away from thevalve for permitting the valve to be seated by the spring. Upwardmovement of the plun er isA limited by means of the valve actuatinglever mechanism hereinafter described.

The intersected passageway 13 has its in take extent emptylng into thelower end of the bore below the valve and its discharge extent providingthe grease exit from the upper portion'of the bore above the valve.These passageway portions are obliquely disposed relative to the greaseconduit.

To provide a convenient handle formanipulation of the discharge end ofthe conduit and an improved mounting for the switch,

' a tubular handle element 7 is attached to the iently positioned grip.To further facilitate a firm grasp on this handle, a protuberance 25 isformed thereon on its underside, which protuberance may be straddled bythe fingers to permit a firm grasp, particularly for preventinglongitudinal slippage of the handle in the hand.

At the rear end of the casing a lateral castion. In the instance shown,the switch is of that type providing a trigger 27 which must be helddown to keep the contact in and the motor running. The switch structureincludes for this purpose a spring return for the trigger (not shown).It will readily be understood that the spring return type is notessential but that the switch could be directly returned by means of thelever actuatingY the same. The switch is adjustably secured in positionso that the relation of the trigger may be varied relative to anoperating plunger 28.

The plunger is slidably mounted in the rear wall of the casing and hasits inner end protruding into a recess formed in the wall, within whichrecess the trigger of the switch is operated. This wall is slotted as at26a to receive the rear edge of the switch. The engagement of the switchwithin the slot or groove is fairly snug, but sufficient clearance isprovided to permit sliding of the switch in the groove laterally of thelubricant conduit so as to adjust the trigger relative to the plunger28.

The switch is clamped or secured in set position in the groove by meansof a set screw 26b disposed through the cover plate and engaging theforward edge of the switch.

The two electric leads 28, 39, for the switch are attached respectivelyto the switch 8 and to the switch casing 26 and extend through a conduit32, which conduit is attached and sealed through the end or cover plate33 of the casing 26 by means of an internally collapsible compressiblepacking ring 34 held in position in a bore 35 of the cover surroundingthe conduit by means of a packing gland nut 36. The clamping .ringprovidesinclined inner and outer edges, these edges being inclinedtoward each other and outwardly. The cover plate is secured in positionby means of screws engaged into internal bosses yin the extension orswitch enclosure. The inner end of the gland nut 36 provides a co1'-respondingly inclined surface engaging the clamping ring, urging thering against a correspondingly inclined bore shoulder.

The trigger for the switch is disposed for operation by the verticallymoving plunger v28, this plunger being slidably disposed through a boss37 in the outer wall of the switch casing. A packing gland 38 surroundsthis plunger 28 and has an inclined lower edge secured against a concaveouter end of the outward portion of the boss by means of an internallyflanged nut 39 screw threaded onto the boss. The plunger 28 and conduit32 have the packing about them at those points at which they traversethe casing so as to prevent the entrance of moisture, grease, etc. intothe switch, thereby preventing short circuits. For thesame purpose, agasket 33a is placed under the cover plate 33. The switch is enclosed ina sheet of insulating material 8a to insulate the same from the wallsofv the casing.

The lever 9 for operating the switch plunger 28 and the valve plunger 19extends longitudinally of the handle normally in parallelism therewithand is pivotally mounted on the valve body between outwardly extendingarms 40 thereof on a cross pin 41 mounted in and between the arms. Thislever is normally held in valve release or closing position by means ofa coil spring 42 under compression between the outer end of the leverand the handle casing. The coil spring is engaged within a cup-shapedboss 43 of the lever and about an outwardly or radially extending stud44 on the handle casing. This spring under compression maintains theforthe valve body is located directly above the remesa plunger, the axisot the pin and plunger being in substantially the same plane. Thecontact screw providing the operative engagement between the lever andthe plunger has its dog point disposed substantially beneath the pivotpin due to its oblique position in the lever. Tt therefore follows thata swinging movement of the lever on its pivot swings the dog pointacross the convex upper end of the plunger and, due to an initial slightoil-set of the dog point contact to one side of the plunger head, causesa. camming action to ensue whereby a great torce is exerted upon theplunger and comparatively little movement imparted thereto. Tt requiresbut very little movement to unseat the ball valve to permit the passageof the pumped grease through the valve.

The rear end of the lever is turned at right angles adjacent thelaterally extending` switch casing and has a Contact end 49 extendingrearwardly over the casing. This centact end engages the uper end of thepin or plunger contacting the switch trigger.

lWhen the lever is depressed the switch plunger is depressed therewith,moving the trigger of the switch into motor starting position. At thesame time, movement is imparted to the contact screw at the valve end ofthe lever. This movement cams the plunger ot the valve downwardlysuiliciently to unseat the valve. Thus the starting ot' the motor andthe opening of the valve occur simultaneously or substantially so. Whena suflicient quantity of lubricant has been delivered, the operatorreleases the lever and the spring beneath the lever as well as thespring in the switch acting on the plunger tend to return the lever tonormal position.

The plunger 19, which unseats the valve, is lifted against the screw 46by the back pressure in the discharge end of the conduit so that itsweight does not rest on the ball. The ball is normally seated by thepressure in the line created by the overrun of the motor after the valveis closed. A petcock 50 is providcdin the valve in communication withthe discharge extent of the passageway of the valve. This petcockfunctions when manually opened to relieve the pressure in the linebeyond the valve. This is necessary since it frequently occurs thatgrease is trapped between the nozzle (not shown) at the end ot thedischarge line, and the valve preventing disconnection of the couplingor nozzle from the fitting.

Having described my invention, l claim:

l. Tn a device of the class described, a discharge conduit, a valvedisposed toward the outer end ot said conduit, a tubular handletelescopingly engaged-about said conduit and attached to said valve, alever pivotally connected te said valve and extending longitudinally ofsaid handle, a valve controlling plunger extending *from said valve. anda contact screw engaged through said lever having its point in Contactwith the upper end ot the plunger whereby depression of said leveragainst the tubular handle depresses the valve controlling plunger.

2. A valve construction, comprising, a body having a passagewaytherethrough, a valve element seated in said passageway, a plunger forengaging and unseating said valve element, a lever pivoted to said valvebody above the plunger, a set screw extending obliquely through saidlever, said set screw having a convex tip, said plunger having a convexhead, said tip and head in engagement whereby rocking ot the lever onits pivot causes a camming action between the screw and the plunger forimparting a slight valve unseating movement exerted under considerabletorce.

3. Tn a control device, a body having a passageway therethrough, a valveelement seated in said passageway, a plunger Jfor engaging and unseatingsaid valve element, a lever, means for pivoting said lever to said valvebody, said pivot means located on the axis of the plunger, anadjustable' screw extending obliquely through said lever, said screwhaving` a dog point, said plunger having a convex head, said tip andhead in engagement whereby rocking of the lever on its pivot causes acamming action between the screw and the plunger for exerting a slightvalve unseating pressure.

4. In a device of the class described, a flexible discharge conduit, avalve interposed in said conduit, a tubular handle attached to saidvalve and telescopically disposed about said iexible discharge conduitfor preventing` flexing of the conduit adjacent the valve, and a leverhaving operative connection to said valve, said lever extended from saidvalve and along said handle, whereby the valve is adapted to be lirmlyheld and manipulated by grasping the lever and handle.

Tn witness whereof T hereunto Subscribe my name.

CLE@ HARRTS.

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